


Practicing Domesticity with Frederick Chilton

by Vagabond



Series: The Many Adventures of Dr. Frederick Chilton [6]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, or Hannibal Lecter, these are the stories of will graham and frederick chilton and their strangely domestic life, when they aren't dealing with serial killers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-13
Updated: 2014-05-20
Packaged: 2018-01-24 13:25:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1606739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vagabond/pseuds/Vagabond
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When they aren't solving crimes or dealing with the mentally disturbed, Will Graham and Frederick Chilton try to have a somewhat normal life together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a place I will post my meaningless domestic fluff fics. There are a lot of little domestic vignettes people post on tumblr and sometimes I just want to write something simple and silly. Be prepared. 
> 
> As usual, these are all based in the background outline in [Picking Up the Pieces](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1564016/chapters/3317180). You can read that if you want to see how they got to this point :-)

Some days never seemed to end for Will Graham. There had been three crime scenes, all attributed to the same killer, in the course of the day. Somehow no one in the area of the various crime scenes had noticed anything that was helpful. One man had said he thought he’d heard screaming at some point early in the morning but couldn’t remember exactly when and hadn’t felt the need to check it out. Every other potential witness had claimed to know nothing, leaving the FBI with very few leads and three bodies with the promise of more in the morning. 

Will canceled classes, which irritated him because there was only one more class session before finals week and he still had a lot to cover with his students. However, in the world of Jack Crawford, crime scenes came first so Will was caught up all day working the scenes and going over possible scenarios with the team. When he was finally released from that particular duty, having given Jack everything he had for the moment, he’d returned to his empty classroom to try and grade some preliminary papers so he could get them back to his students in time for their final. 

When he finally looked up from the papers and checked his watch it was 11:30pm and he realized he needed to go home, or plan to camp out in his classroom. It was an easy decision to make to go home and sleep in his bed, especially when he knew Frederick would be there. The thought made him smile as he packed up his things tiredly and got behind the wheel of his car to make the long drive home. 

He quietly unlocked the front door and stepped inside, surprised to find only two dogs were waiting to greet him. The others were all either on or near the couch where a certain dark haired doctor was sleeping. Will greeted the two who were waiting for him before he dropped his bag gently onto the floor and proceeded into the living room. He stopped a few feet away from the couch and just observed, breathing in the smells of his home and drinking in the sight of Frederick asleep on the couch. 

The other man was on his stomach, stretched out over the length of the couch. One of his arms was tucked under a pillow and his scarred cheek was nestled against it. His other arm was lying on the couch, fingers curled ever so slightly. It appeared that Frederick was sleeping peacefully, with rosy cheeks and slightly parted lips. Buster was curled up asleep on the small of the doctor’s back, with Winston lounging on the floor beside the couch and his shepherd mix, Harley, curled up on the couch cushion at Frederick’s feet. 

Of course the rest of the dogs were scattered on the floor nearby, mostly asleep though they raised their heads and regarded Will with mild curiosity before drifting back to sleep. It made him feel a bit better coming home late when he knew the dogs would watch over everything. He left Frederick asleep on the couch and made his way into the kitchen where he found a note on the counter. 

_There is a veggie burger patty in the fridge along with everything to go on top of it. You can toast the bun after you cook the fries I left sitting in the toaster oven. –F_

At the bottom of the note something had been scribbled out and Will tilted his head to try and see beneath the scribbles, but it was blacked out. He just smiled to himself and pushed the note away, moving to the fridge to get his dinner. As he opened the door his stomach rumbled and he realized he hadn’t eaten anything since lunch. Frederick had made veggie burgers and chopped up lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles, and avocado to put on top of it. He spread the various items out on the counter and tossed the veggie burger patty into the microwave to heat it up. Flicking on the toaster oven, he checked his watch and leaned one hip against the counter while he waiting for everything to heat back up. 

Movement in the entryway caught his eye and he turned his head to find Frederick standing there, still dressed in slacks even though he’d stripped down to his undershirt. The man had a certain vulnerable, sleepy look that sent a pleasantly warm feeling through Will. He enjoyed seeing his lover in a state of open vulnerability. It was a look reserved almost exclusively for him. 

“Did I wake you up?” Will asked, keeping his voice low even as the microwave timer beeped loudly and Frederick flinched tiredly in response. 

“Hmm,” Frederick shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest. He leaned against the doorframe, letting his temple rest against the wood, eye trained on Will. 

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Will chuckled and got his burger patty out of the microwave. He didn’t bother to toast the bun as he put his burger together and checked the fries. Deeming them heated, he dumped them onto his plate, shut off the toaster over, and turned his attention back to Frederick who was still watching him. Then he beckoned Frederick over and watched as the other man approached. 

Will reached out and took Frederick’s wrist in order to tug him into an embrace. The doctor was more than willing as he practically melted into Will’s arms, nestling his face into his shoulder as he let out a soft sigh. 

“Long day?” Frederick murmured, obviously still not completely awake as he rubbed his cheek against Will’s shirt. 

“The longest,” Will replied and reached up to run his fingers through his lover’s already messy hair, “but I’m here now. You should go back to bed.” 

“You should come to bed with me,” Frederick mumbled into Will’s shoulder, “but eat first.” 

“In order to do that, you’ll have to let go of me,” he teased and kissed Frederick’s temple, squeezing the man around the middle before he released him. He expected the other man to go to bed, but instead Frederick moved to sit at the dining room table and Will soon joined him. 

Sometimes he couldn’t help but marvel at how routine their lives had become. It was strange having someone to come home to, knowing his dogs had someone looking after them even when Will was caught up at work. More often than not he’d come home to dinner and a tidy house, which was such a shift from his previous chaotic home and eating habits. 

Frederick stole one of his fries which he realized, as he bit into one, were made from sweet potatoes and tasted great even reheated. He smiled and took a bite of his burger next, eyes never leaving the other man who watched him in return. After he chewed and swallowed, he spoke. 

“Thank you for dinner, Frederick,” even if he was eating it at nearly one in the morning with a very tired boyfriend sitting across from him. 

“Mm.” Frederick bumped his socked foot against Will’s leg affectionately as he finished off his sweet potato fry. “I saw the news.” 

“We tried to withhold as many details as possible, but reporters always manage to find something out.” Will frowned because he hated bringing work home with him, but it was nearly impossible not to. Even when he didn’t bring it up, Frederick often did. It was to be expected given both of their professions and interests, but he still felt a strange sense of guilt whenever their discussions took a turn toward work. He liked having his little domestic bubble away from it all. 

His thoughts must have shown on his face because the next thing he knew, Frederick’s fingers were resting over his own on the table. Will let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding and took a drink of his water before he returned to his burger. They allowed silence to stretch between them as Will finished up dinner and as he gulped down water, Frederick silently picked up his plate and walked over to the sink to wash it. 

When he was done drinking, Will stood and padded across the kitchen. He set the glass down on the counter and wrapped his arms around Frederick from behind. Frederick tilted his head to stare down at the dishes as his hand scrubbed over the plate. There were a lot of moments like this, too, when the doctor would retreat into himself just slightly and Will felt an intense desire to draw him back out. He wanted to see that open vulnerability again, not the man in front of him who was shying away from his attention. Even after all their time together they were still trying to understand where the lines were, and the fact they were both tired certainly didn’t help the situation. 

“Frederick,” Will whispered into his ear as his fingers teased beneath his lover’s shirt and stroked against his belly affectionately, “I love you.” 

They’d only recently started saying those words. It had been Frederick first, in a burst of affection when they were coming down from their orgasms a few weeks earlier. It was still new and the tension in Frederick’s shoulders visibly eased when Will said the words. When the plate was clean it was set aside on the counter rather carelessly as Frederick turned and leaned in to kiss Will warmly. Will took it as a small victory on his part.

“Let’s go to bed,” Will suggested and Frederick slipped out of his grasp, took his hand, and tugged him into the living room. They stripped, Frederick shucking his slacks and Will stripping down to his own undershirt and boxers. Together they crawled under the sheets and the dogs converged on them once they were settled, taking up their various positions around them on the floor and bed. Frederick curled himself around Will and the younger man felt warm in the embrace, settling back against his lover’s chest as he felt sleep swiftly overtake him. 

“I love you too, Will,” Frederick murmured to him as the world fell away and he drifted to sleep. All he needed was sleep, and then perhaps the morning would bring better things.


	2. Saving a Stray

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frederick wants to be a better man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to chesapeakeripped on tumblr <3 my fellow Wilton fangirl.

“Dr. Chilton?” 

Frederick glanced up from the paperwork he’d been reviewing and stared at the young woman in the doorway. She was a new hire, a young thing that had been brought on just before he returned to his post after his leave of absence. From what he’d seen she was a good worker, even if she was a bit green around the edges, and unlike some of the older employees she didn’t hate him yet. Sometimes it was just the little things that made him like a person.

“Yes, Nurse Andrews?” Frederick replied easily as he removed his glasses and gave his eyes a rest. Since he returned to work he felt like he’d been doing nothing but non-stop paperwork. 

“Well,” she looked nervous and Frederick quietly hoped she wasn’t about to quit or give him some sort of other bad news, “I was on my break and took a phone call outside and there was a dog. She wasn’t looking well so I coaxed her over, and, well, I wasn’t sure what we should do. We have to do something. Her back leg looks pretty bad and she’s starving. I’d take her but my apartment doesn’t allow dogs but I don’t know what else to do.” 

A year ago Frederick would have told her to leave the dog alone or call animal control, but since he had taken up residence with a certain FBI profiler who collected dogs, he’d developed a soft spot for strays. After all, he’d been a stray once and someone had been willing to take him in. Everyone deserved that chance, especially an innocent animal. 

“Take me to her.” Frederick insisted as he stood and grabbed his coat. He felt mildly irritated by the surprised look on her face. Did everyone think he was a cruel overlord or something? He had a heart. 

They walked silently down the hallway toward one of the back doors that opened up to a parking lot surrounded by trees. He noticed the dog right away, a trembling mass of fur and bones huddled in a blanket with a rope looped with care around her neck so she wouldn’t get away. Frederick hesitated, certainly not any dog expert in his own right, but when the nurse approached the dog he did too and they both sank to their knees beside the animal. 

“Hey, girl, I brought help. I told you I would.” Nurse Andrews ran her fingers through the dog’s muddy fur and rubbed her behind the ears. “Her leg, I think it is broken. She was limping and couldn’t put weight on it but she growled whenever I tried to get near it to check it out.” 

Frederick reached out and curled his fingers in the dog’s shaggy fur. It was a medium sized dog, some sort of shepherd mix if he had to guess. She had the colors of a German Shepherd but didn’t really fit the profile, but he was far from an expert on dog breeds. Will would probably have a better idea if he could get the dog home, or at least to a vet. 

“Do you think she’ll let you pick her up?” Frederick asked and the nurse looked at him with equal parts surprise and gratitude. 

“You’re really going to help her? I’m sorry, I don’t mean to sound so surprised but…” she hesitates and Frederick actually thinks he might like this young woman, “the other staff, I mean, I don’t want to say names but people say you’re kind of a jerk.” 

“I’m aware. People see what they want to see sometimes.” He shrugged and reached out to rest his hand on top of the dog’s head as the poor creature looked at him with warm brown eyes. What Frederick didn’t want to admit was that he’d been a jerk for a very long time, but being with Will and getting shot in the face, and everything that had come with Hannibal Lecter had changed him somehow. 

“I think I could probably pick her up.” Nurse Andrews finally answered after allowing a long stretch of silence to drift between them. 

“I’ll go get my car, then.” 

About fifteen minutes later the dog was loaded up into the back seat, resting on a blanket with another one draped over the top of her. She looked peaceful and relaxed and Frederick felt his heart flutter a little. If he had his way, he was going to keep her. He went and packed up his stuff and passed the nurse on his way out. 

“Can you, you know, let me know how it goes? How she is?” Nurse Andrews asked and Frederick stopped and turned toward her. 

“Of course. Let staff know I’ve left a bit early and if they need anything, they can call my work cell.” He smiled and she looked shocked as he turned and walked out the door and over to his car. There was a small bitter part of him that wished it wasn’t so surprising to people when he was kind or went out of his way to do something good, but he buried it away as he got into the car. With a final glance over his shoulder at the dog that appeared to be sleeping, he turned the key over and the car revved to life. 

His first stop was the vet he knew Will used for the dogs. He’d driven the other man there once after Buster got into some chocolate and needed his stomach pumped. Without worrying about his suit, he picked up the dog once he arrived and took her inside and asked to see the doctor immediately. They managed to clear a spot for him in the schedule and he watched the examination, wincing when the dog winced and feeling his heart ache when she yelped in pain as the doctor pressed along her leg. 

When it was all said and done it was determined to be a fracture, probably from being hit with something like a bat or other weapon. Of course Frederick felt a little violent himself at that suggestion and wanted to take a bat to whoever had hurt the poor dog. The vet splinted the leg and gave him a prescription for doggy painkillers to help with pain management. Otherwise, other than being malnourished and dehydrated, the dog was in good health and should make a full recovery. 

She got the front seat on the drive home and as he drove down the highway, Frederick rested his hand on top of her head and rubbed it affectionately. 

Frederick was on the porch giving his new found friend a bath when Will pulled up and got out of his car. He focused on his task even as the other man approached and worked his fingers through the dog’s matted fur as a distraction. It was a process, washing an exhausted dog that was keener on lying down in the water than sitting up, but he managed as he scrubbed her with his fingers. 

“New friend?” Will set his bag aside, rolled up his sleeves, and got onto his knees beside Frederick. 

“Yes.” Frederick answered and ducked his head slightly when Will leaned over to brush a kiss to his cheek. They worked together quietly, both running their hands over the dog who was becoming cleaner every minute. Finally, they both helped her out of the tub and Will disappeared into the house only to return with a couple of towels in his hands. Again they worked together to towel dry the dog and Will laughed when she shook out her fur and water flew everywhere. 

Once she was relatively dry, Will went through the process of introducing her to the rest of the pack as Frederick watched. He was grateful for how easy going and well trained Will’s dogs were, because they accepted her almost immediately and while she was shy and hesitant, she didn’t look like she was going to run away anytime soon. Will ushered the dogs inside, including the newest addition, before he turned his full attention onto Frederick. 

“Where did you find her?”

“I didn’t. One of my employees did. She wanted to take her but her apartment doesn’t allow pets.” Frederick couldn’t help but smile as Will put his arms around him and leaned in to steal a kiss. “I hope it isn’t imposing.”

“No, not at all.” Will smiled and Frederick pressed against him and rested his head against his shoulder. They stood like that for a long moment before Frederick pulled away and headed inside. Will followed and they settled into their evening routine. 

First they fed the dogs. Will took care of the main pack while Frederick tracked down a bowl to use for the newest addition. He put it down and filled it with food and coaxed the new dog over. She ate gratefully, her long, slightly fluffy tail wagging low against her legs as she all but inhaled the kibble. Frederick sat on the floor beside her and only looked up when he noticed Will staring at him. 

“What are you going to name her?” Will asked after a moment as he glanced down at the dog as she licked at the remnants in her bowl. 

“I don’t really know. I’ve never named an animal before.” Frederick reached out and ran his hand down her back, marveling at how soft she was after being washed. The difference between how she was when they first found her and how she was now was like night and day and he felt a small measure of pride. There was a long stretch of silence before a moment of inspiration struck him. 

“Drew,” he ruffled the fur on top of her head, “her name should be Drew.” 

“Like Drew Barrymore?” Will asked incredulously, laughter in his eyes. 

“No, though I'm surprised you know who that even is considering you live under a rock. The nurse who found him, her last name is Andrews. It seems appropriate.” He shrugged and smiled a little as Drew licked at his ear. “What do you think? Do you think your name is Drew?” 

The dog just whined in reply and he took that as a yes. 

“That’s a good name, Frederick.” Will murmured and when Frederick looked up at his lover he blushed because he found affection in the other man’s eyes. It was nice to feel like he’d done something right for once.

They continued their evening routine. Will made sandwiches, Frederick did the dishes, and eventually they ended up on the couch together. Will was sitting with one leg stretched out along the back cushions and the other foot on the floor. His back was against a pillow which was resting against the arm of the couch. Frederick had settled in between his legs, his back resting against Will’s chest. For a while, Will read over papers while Frederick browsed through the latest psychiatric journals, and he felt at peace. Will was warm, his breathing evening, and sometimes he'd feel a teasing brush of lips against his exposed neck whenever the other man finished a paper.

Every now and again, Frederick would scan the room to find Drew. Their new dog had found a fast friend in Winston and the two were curled up together on one of the larger doggy beds, fast asleep. 

As the evening drew on, Frederick dozed off with his head nestled against Will’s chest. He could feel Will’s fingers stroke affectionately through his hair as he drifted in and out of sleep and sighed happily. There was something about being with Will that felt so wonderful but equally unreal. Somehow, even being the screw up he was, he’d managed to do at least one thing right and it had won him the affections of a man he didn’t deserve. 

At some point in the evening he was pushed gently off the couch and guided to bed. He settled into the blankets and squirmed to press back against Will’s chest as the other man curled against him. 

“You’re a good man, Frederick Chilton.” Will whispered into his ear before they settled into a comfortable silence and drifted to sleep. Frederick felt comfortable, and heavy, and like a good person.

The next day at work, Frederick looked up from his desk to find Nurse Andrews standing in the doorway. He had a moment of déjà vu and regarded her curiously. 

“You haven’t found another dog, have you?” He asked and was mostly teasing. 

“No, I just, wanted to know how she is doing. Did she have a broken leg?” The young woman looked nervous and Frederick wondered what on earth he could do to seem less scary to his employees. He expected a lot from them, but last he’d checked he’d never been outright cruel to anyone who worked for him. 

“Fracture. It was nothing too serious but the vet splinted her leg and send her home with an order of rest, food, and a lot of water. She was undernourished and dehydrated.” He picked his phone up off of his desk, unlocked it, and began swiping through his gallery. “I’ve got pictures, if you’d like to see them. I gave her a bath last night and she looked a lot better.” 

Nurse Andrews apparently didn’t need any further invitation because she was beside his desk in no time, peering over his shoulder at his phone. He scrolled through the pictures he’d snapped and smiled a bit to himself when he glanced at the young woman and saw her smiling. 

“Wow, she looks a lot better.” 

Then he scrolled one picture too far, to one with Will sprawled out on his back on the floor with Drew and Winston above him, licking his face. He made a surprised noise and heard the nurse giggle. 

“Who is that, Dr. Chilton?” She leaned in over his shoulder to try and get a closer look. 

“That’s, ah,” he hesitated, “my boyfriend. Will Graham.” Frederick could feel the heat in his cheeks at the admission. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d called someone his boyfriend out loud. 

“Will Graham?” Nurse Andrews questioned and Frederick braced himself for criticism or some sort of backhanded comment, but it didn’t come. Instead, the young woman hummed thoughtfully and looked from his face back to the picture. “You two seem good for each other, and he seems to love dogs. Good to know she will have a friend.” 

Frederick decided not to tell her Drew would have a lot of friends because his boyfriend bordered on being a dog hoarder. 

“Have you named her yet?” She asked and it jogged Frederick out of his train of thought and he ducked his head slightly. 

“Drew. Her name is Drew.” He didn’t want to see her reaction but he couldn’t resist glancing at her. The look on her face was one of surprise before it melted into something that Frederick could only describe as ‘touched.’ She surprised him by wrapping her arms around him from behind and giving him an awkward hug before she pulled away. 

“Sorry. Sorry, Dr. Chilton. That’s just…well, that is really sweet and it is a perfect name.” Nurse Andrews was beaming and Frederick felt the sense of pride from the previous night return. He’d done two things right. “I’ve got to get back to work, but thank you again.” 

He watched her go and then looked back down at his phone. Frederick scrolled over once more and smiled at the picture staring back at him. It was him and Will sitting on the floor together with Winston on Will’s lap and Drew sitting beside Frederick. None of them are really posed for a picture, but he’d stretched out his arm anyway to grab the snap shot because he wanted to always remember the moment when everything felt right.


	3. Sleepsong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frederick has had a hard week and Will humors his suggestion of a bath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shameless bath fic because I needed it. 
> 
> Song title from a song by Bastille

Going back to work was a lot harder than initially anticipated. Frederick had only been back for a week and already felt the strain of it. Some things were easy, like paperwork and therapy sessions with the easier clients. His employees, though, were a different story. Some of them avoided him completely except when they absolutely couldn’t. Others were awkward around him and tried not to stare at his scar but by trying not to, made the thing far more obvious than it would have been had they just stared. One nurse in particular was fascinated about all of the things Hannibal Lecter had put him through and he had her transferred to a different hospital almost immediately. 

Hannibal was enough to tire him out by his mere presence in the hospital and the rest of the stressors piled onto that and left him raw and exhausted. 

He barely remembered the drive home on a Friday night, his cheek aching and his body taunt with tension. It was actually a bit of a blessing because the drive to Will’s could be tedious and he almost preferred the nights the drive flew by and left him parked in the familiar driveway. Frederick slipped out of the car, briefcase in one hand and cane in the other, and made his way up the steps and into the house. The moment he was inside he abandoned the cane by the door, barely even casting a glance at it. By that point he was using it more as an anchor in a chaotic work environment than a medical tool. 

Thankfully he didn’t need an anchor in Will’s home, because Will provided all of the grounding he needed in the midst of his own personal storm. 

“Will?” Frederick called out as he set his briefcase down and knelt to greet a few of the dogs who sniffed at him eagerly, taking in all the scents of the hospital. The big white shepherd mix, Lacey, approached last and he put his arms around her neck and buried his face in her fur. He liked being surrounded by dogs; that bit of Will had rubbed off on him. 

“You’re going to make me jealous,” Will’s voice came from above and Frederick looked up to find his lover watching him, standing behind Lacey. The dog scampered away after licking his chin and Frederick took the hand the other man offered as he was pulled back up to his feet. The profiler’s lips were warm and welcome against his own as he relaxed into the kiss. When the kiss was broken, he settled into the embrace Will offered and lazily nuzzled at the crook of the other man’s neck. 

His exhaustion seemed ten times heavier after stepping through the door, like his brain finally acknowledged that he was safe and his exhaustion would not be his downfall. It was nice to have a place to return to where strong hands would slowly work at the tension in his back as he melted further into a broad chest. 

“Rough day?” Will asked but Frederick was all too aware that his lover already knew. It was one of the perks of being in a relationship with someone who had abilities like Will’s overactive sense of empathy. He liked it because even when he tried to hide behind his confident mask, Will could pull him apart and draw him out in a way no one else had ever been able to. 

There were so many snide responses ready on the tip of his tongue, sassy replies that would shatter the moment and allow him to retreat back into his exhausted fortress. Instead, he mumbled “yes,” into Will’s shirt and allowed some of the tension to ease from his posture. 

“What will help, Frederick?” 

“A bath, for starters,” Frederick replied with a rumbling laugh as he pressed a kiss to Will’s jaw.

“Then let’s take a bath.” Will’s matter-of-fact answer startled the doctor and he glanced at his lover curiously. 

“Really? You’ve never struck me as the type to take a bath,” he hesitated but then smiled because the idea seemed more appealing by the second, “but I’ll take it.” 

“I don’t typically, but I can be persuaded,” Will replied and squeezed Frederick’s waist before he stepped away and made his way toward the stairs. 

“You just want to see me naked, don’t you,” Frederick called out teasingly as he followed Will up the stairs, admiring his lover from behind the entire way up. He was then ushered into the full upstairs bath. 

The bathroom had a tub shower with a relatively generous tub. It would be a bit of a squeeze, but with higher walls than the standard bath it would better accommodate the pair. Will flipped on the water and tested it while Frederick watched, still feeling the weight of his exhaustion but looking forward to relaxing. Once the water was hot, Will plugged the tub and turned, his eyes wandering over the doctor. 

Frederick felt himself flush. He was still in his suit while Will was dressed in a sweatshirt and jeans and his breath hitched when his tie was loosened. As the tub filled, Will divulged him of his clothes. The tie slid over his head and fell to the floor, the suit jacket he wore soon following. Then, almost teasingly, Will unbuttoned Frederick’s shirt and gently pressed his lips to every revealed inch of skin until he reached the base of his chest. He allowed his fingers to finish the work, hands sliding back up Frederick’s body in order to push it off of his shoulders. 

For the longest time he’d been so starved of affection and every single one of Will’s touches sent fire surging through him to coil comfortably in his belly. They’d been together for a while by that point, but every touch still felt new. Every touch still felt completely unreal because he still struggled to believe someone as young and attractive as Will would be interested in a scarred and broken man like him. 

“Frederick, come back to me,” Will whispered into his ear and Frederick felt lips brush just under his earlobe. He reached out and rested his hands on his lover’s shoulders, fingers curled in the fabric of his sweatshirt while Will’s hands worked at the fly of his trousers. 

“Sorry, Will, I’m exhausted.” Frederick laughed tiredly and turned his head so he could press his lips to the other man’s cheek. “I zone out.” 

He shivered when Will finished pushing his clothes off of him and he stood in front of his lover, naked and still at a stage where he felt the need to blush because of it. Will stripping was a delightful distraction, though, and soon enough both of them were naked and the tub was full. He watched as Will added sweet smelling bath salts and stirred the water around a bit before he slid into it. The other man hissed and then appeared to relax into the steaming water and Frederick almost tripped getting into the tub. 

Catching himself on the wall, he glanced down at Will who was watching him with a startled look. 

“Eager?” He laughed and it was music to Frederick’s ears as he settled down into the water between the other man’s legs. With a heavy sigh he leaned to press his back against Will’s chest as the water stilled around them. Frederick turned his head and left a trail of gentle kisses along his lover’s jaw while Will’s hand found one of his under the water. He laced their fingers together and Frederick hummed and inhaled deeply, allowing himself to be surrounded by Will and the smell of lavender. 

It was perfect. Never in his wildest dreams could Frederick have pictured a better way to end a miserable week. 

Will’s free hand explored, stroking up along Frederick’s thigh and over his belly where his fingers teased at the scar in a way that drew out a whimper and a squirm. Frederick nipped at the other man’s earlobe and then sucked on it, enjoying the moan it drew out of him. Will’s hand stroked up his chest to his jaw and held Frederick still as he tilted his own head to press their lips together in an open mouthed kiss. Frederick moaned into it as Will’s tongue stroked against his and gasped when the other man’s grip tightened on his jaw. 

“Will.” The name was a praise and a whine all at once as his lover claimed his mouth and Frederick yielded and squeezed Will’s hand. When they finally broke apart, Frederick was panting softly and leaned his forehead to the other man’s jaw. 

“If I weren’t so damn exhausted,” he mumbled, “I’d beg you to fuck me right here.” Unfortunately he was exhausted and even though he’d felt the stir of arousal, the pull of sleep was far more tempting and he hated his body’s cruel betrayal. 

“Another night. I just want you to relax.” Will released his hand and wrapped his arms around Frederick’s waist to hold him back against his chest. Again Frederick yielded, because he kind of loved Will and the way it felt to be secure and safe. 

“I love you.” Frederick murmured and it wasn’t the first time he’d said it, but the words still felt exhilarating and comforting at the same time. 

“I love you too,” Will replied and kissed Frederick’s damp forehead as they relaxed in the tub, the hot water and his lover’s embrace soothing away the last of his tension.


	4. Kiss Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even though he tries very hard not to, Frederick still rents Hannibal some of his head space and Will does his best to chase the memory of the demon away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FLUFF. Hurt/comfort kind of. Little flash of Dark!Will (I mean how could I not with all of Will's fantasies about beating the shit out of Hannibal, slitting Hannibal's throat, etc.). I just had a vision of Raul Esparza sprawled out on his stomach on a bed and thought, "I can write a self-indulgent fic about this, oh yes I can." 
> 
> I've lost control of my life okay. 
> 
> If anyone is curious, I wrote this listening to a cover of [Kiss Me by New Found Glory](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVqW8OTaPVM&feature=kp)

Will was in the kitchen preparing stuffed peppers when he heard the front door open and shut. It meant Frederick was home and the thought brought a little smile to his face. He had looked up vegetarian recipes and found the simplest one and hoped to prepare it and surprise his lover. They’d had a couple of weeks where both were working long hours and Will honestly couldn’t remember the last time the pair managed to sit down for dinner. The closest they’d come was a rushed breakfast of cereal and coffee followed by a kiss before they were both out the door. 

Expecting Frederick to find him in the kitchen, Will continued to prepare dinner and listened to the clicking of his pack’s nails on the floor as they greeted their other master. However, instead of footsteps approaching the kitchen, he heard them tromping up the stairs. Will’s smile faded as he felt a wave of concern wash over him, and wiped his hands on a towel before padding out into the living room and over to the stairs. He watched Frederick disappear around the corner and then heard the upstairs bathroom door open and close. While halfway up the stairs Will heard the shower running and his frown deepened before he retreated back to the kitchen to finish dinner. 

When Frederick didn’t join him for dinner he picked at his food, put the leftovers in the fridge, and finally went after the other man. He checked the bathroom, the air still heavy with steam, but found it empty and dark. The other man still kept most of his things in the upper bedroom as it was still technically ‘his’ even though Will and Frederick often shared the downstairs bed. When they wanted to be away from prying canine eyes, however, they’d retreat to the upstairs bedroom and shut the door. 

The aforementioned door was already partially open and Will pushed it wider as he stepped into the room. His lover was sprawled out on the bed shirtless and in boxers, lying on his stomach with his face pressed into the pillow. 

“Frederick?” Will murmured and watched as the muscles in Frederick’s back tensed with surprise before they eased. 

“Go away, Will.” Frederick’s words were mumbled into the pillow and Will almost couldn’t make them out. 

Now he was truly concerned and watched the other man’s prone form for a moment before he removed his own shirt, shucked his pants, and crawled onto the bed beside Frederick. He settled in on his side and leaned forward in order to press his lips to the back of Frederick’s still-damp shoulder. 

“Frederick,” he whispered against his skin, rough fingertips beginning to draw idle patterns along the other man’s back. Will took a little pride in the pleased shiver it drew out of the doctor. 

When he noticed Frederick’s shoulders had begun to tremble as the man cried quietly into the pillow, he rested there and continued running his hand over his back. Will traced along his shoulder blade, fingertips then working down the bumps of Frederick’s spine. As his fingers danced across the expanse of tense, trembling muscle, Will leaned in and let his lips follow the trail his fingers were taking. 

He could taste Frederick’s cinnamon body wash and chuckled softly to himself, nipping gently at a patch of skin. Everything else was just a warm, gentle touch of lips to skin as the crying eased and Frederick melted beneath his touch. Will worked his way back up to his lover’s shoulder and sucked roughly at a spot, barely catching the gasp it elicited since Frederick’s face was still buried in the pillow. After the mark was made, he lapped lazily at it before he settled back onto his side. Will left his hand resting against his lover’s lower back, fingers splayed out along the flushed skin. 

“Was it something he did?” Will took a chance and asked the question he had a feeling he already knew the answer to. There was only one person at the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane that could tear the other man like this, and his name rhymed with cannibal. 

That was what it took to get Frederick to finally roll onto his side and look at Will. The look on his lover’s face made Will’s chest feel tight and he leaned in almost immediately to steal a kiss. Frederick’s cheeks were red, eyes puffy and still glassy from the tears. Will kissed him until they both needed to breath and then backed off just slightly, staying close enough to bump their noses together affectionately. 

“Frederick,” he whispered and studied the other man’s green-blue eyes as they stared at him; Frederick was giving him a free pass to empathize and Will had to restrain himself, “I want to hear it _from_ you, not feel it _for_ you.” In order to soften the verbal blow he moved his hand from where it rested at Frederick’s back to rest against the other man’s scarred cheek. His thumb stroked Frederick’s cheekbone. 

“Most days I can handle his ability to see right through me. Today he tried to talk about you.”

Will watched Frederick’s face for a long moment before he leaned in to kiss him again. There wasn’t much to say about it. Hannibal Lecter would be a thorn in their sides until he died, and even then he would live on in their memories. He would always be the shadow behind them, the monster lurking beneath the bed, the demon laying in wait. Will accepted it long ago but it still troubled Frederick and that in turn troubled him. 

“He’s not here; stop renting out headspace to him. He’s a miserable tenant.” Then, Will leaned in and kissed Frederick, pushing the other man onto his back as he did so. When Frederick’s hands moved up to rest on his shoulders, Will grabbed his arms and pushed them back onto the bed. He laced their fingers together, pinning Frederick beneath him as he settled over his lover and kissed him warmly. 

Will knew he was victorious when he felt Frederick relax beneath him and wrap one of his legs around Will’s, seeking out all the connection he could get. They kissed for a long while, all lazy presses of lips and warm swipes of tongue. Sometimes, when Will’s mouth wandered from Frederick’s down to the other man’s stubbled jaw, Frederick would squeeze his hands and try to move his arms. However, Will kept him pinned, letting their hips roll together, insisting without words that Frederick feel the weight of him and let go. 

Finally, as he worried a mark in the space between Frederick’s neck and collar bone, he achieved his goal: Frederick exhaled slowly and allowed his grip on Will’s hands to ease. Will nuzzled at the underside of his lover’s chin affectionately, placing a kiss there. 

“I’m afraid at this point, Will, I wouldn’t know what to do without you.”

Will felt the vibration of Frederick’s vocal chords under his lips as he pressed a kiss to the other man’s bared throat and hummed in return. He then rolled off of his lover, settled on his side, and pulled Frederick into an embrace. The pair shifted and squirmed until Will’s arms were around Frederick’s waist, the other man’s wrapped around his in return, with his cheek pressed to Will’s collarbone. 

“You would probably be sitting alone in your big house drinking bourbon and thinking about ways to humiliate Hannibal.” The words left Will’s mouth before he could stop them and he grimaced, worried because he had just been terribly offensive. Instead of being upset, he felt Frederick’s body vibrate with a laugh. 

“You’re probably right. I’m not glad for what he did but I am glad for what came out of it.” Frederick rubbed his cheek affectionately against Will’s skin and Will pressed his fingers gently into his lover’s lower back. 

“I’ll be here if you have a nightmare, Frederick.” 

“I know, Will. You always are.” 

They laid in silence and Will was left to his thoughts as his fingers stroked idly against the other man’s bare back. He felt Frederick fall asleep and tilted his head down to press a kiss to his lover’s heap of thick, dark hair and inhaled that same warm cinnamon scent from before. Hannibal had taken so many things from him, he wasn’t about to let him take one of the few things he had left. 

Comfortable with the thought and ignoring the vision he had of stabbing Hannibal and watching him bleed, Will allowed himself to succumb to sleep.


End file.
